Hotline founder Doug Bailey dies

Doug Bailey, a political consultant and the founder of The Hotline, died Sunday night, Reid Wilson, the editor-in-chief of the daily political briefing, confirmed to POLITICO.

Bailey, 79, who was known for his fascination and innovation where politics was concerned, started The Hotline in 1987. He also served as President Gerald Ford’s top consultant during Ford’s 1976 presidential campaign. He was the partner of the late John Deardourff at Bailey, Deardourff & Associates, one of the earliest national political consulting firms. They generally represented moderates and together worked on more than 70 primary and general election campaigns. Deardourff died in 2004 at the age of 61.

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NBC White House Correspondent Chuck Todd, a former Hotline editor-in-chief, told POLITICO that Bailey was the one who fostered the addiction to political reporting.

“Without Doug, there wouldn’t be Hotline, without Hotline there wouldn’t be POLITICO, and where would we be today?” Todd said.

The best way to describe Bailey, he added, would be in the manner that one of his friends described the man: “He had an amazing ability to always be modern, always be of the moment, always be thinking about what the next big thing is … and hoping it turned into a teaching tool to make the American system better.”

Todd recalled spending every Friday after deadlines were met doing The Washington Post crossword puzzle with Bailey to see who would finish first. Bailey was usually the winner. Todd called him an “obsessive puzzle guy.”

”He always had to keep his mind exercised. If he didn’t have a new idea, he tried to keep his mind exercised. The mind was always moving,” Todd said.

Hotline wrote of its founder fondly in an obituary published late Monday: “Bailey is survived by his wife Pat, his son Ed, daughter Kate, one grandchild, a publication that will be forever grateful for his vision and political wisdom, and a network of Hotline alumni who owe him deep debts of gratitude.”

In an article also written Monday evening, Bloomberg View columnist Al Hunt described Bailey as “a Republican, dating to the era of Nelson Rockefeller. First and foremost, he was [a] caring citizen. He grew disenchanted with the process, never with the importance of politics.”

With the news also came an outpouring of respects paid on Twitter.

Mark Halperin, the editor-at-large and senior political analyst for Time magazine, offered several tributes, first tweeting: “Doug Bailey was an amazing man in every way. He loved politics, people, new things, & old things. Already missing him.”

Halperin later followed up with another tweet, lauding Bailey’s skill in what he did: “Doug Bailey was just such a pro. And a hybrid. And a real believer in the notion that politics & political journalism can lift us up.”

CNBC and New York Times reporter John Harwood tweeted, “RIP, — Doug Bailey — kind man, effective adviser to Republican politicians, visionary aggregator as founder of The Hotline.”

“Sad to hear of the passing of Doug Bailey, GOP strategist + Hotline founder. Man ahead of his time who leaves behind many who learned from,” Mark Baraback, political writer for the Los Angeles Times, tweeted.

Political analyst Jeff Greenfield also saluted Bailey: “RIP: Doug Bailey was as classy as anyone I ever met in politics … he embodied JFK’s line: “Civility is not a sign of weakness.”

NPR’s Ken Rudin, who worked with Bailey, tweeted, “Just learned that Doug Bailey, who founded the Hotline — he hired me away from NPR as managing editor in ’94 — died last night in his sleep.”

News anchor Judy Woodruff also expressed her condolences on Twitter, saying, “Rest in Peace a great guy & dear friend who loved this country, believed in working across party lines: Doug Bailey.”